Iwdiaita



D. J. ANGUS.

MOVABLE ELEMENT FOR METERS A'PPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1918.

1,370,179, Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- D. J. ANGUS.

MOVABLE ELEMENT FO R METERS APPLICATION FILED MAY 20. 19;-

Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

3 SHEETSr-SHEET 2.

. J. ANGUS.

MOVABLE ELEMENT FOR METERS APPLlCATlON FILED MAY 20, 1918. 1,370, 179. Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

a SHEETS-SHEET s.

Iii/9.5.

DonalcLIflng PATENT OFFICE.

DONALD JAMES ANGUS, OE INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

MOVABLE ELEMENT FOR METERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

Application filed May 20, 1918. Serial No. 235,572.

To 47 Z w I: om it may, cancer-n I it known that l, DONALD J ANoUs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Inrlianapolis, in the county of Marion and "S ate of lndiana, have invented a new and useif'ul Iilovahle Element for Meters, of which the following is a specification.

it is the object of my invention to provide an in'iproved construction and mounting of the movable element of a meter.

Ihe general arrangement of the meter and the structure or the stationary element form Wet-matter of my co-pendingappli- No. 235,573, and the two point suspenion oi the movable element on the torsion wire forms the subject-matter of my co pen ling application tier. No. 235,574,

hoth o 1' even iilin'r date herewith; and the (1. i on and mounting of the pen form qi-l'lliitilfif of my co-pending applin or No. 392,036, filed June 26, 1920.

'i h) present application relates to the details oi construction oi" the movable element aul of the mounting of the torsion wire.

Th '1 accompanying drawings illustrate my non as applied to an electric meter. is a vert cal section through an meter embodying my invention; a sect on on the line 22 of Fig. 1; a is a re tical sc'tion on a larger scale, ial elevation, throu h the working eloiner s of the meter; Fig. 4 is a se tion on the. lin il o i' Fig.3; Fig. 5 is a hori- 35 2o lT'll suction tlroup'h the meter. w'th some parts ilren away, he section being taken i stlly on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 0 inrctivc on a lar 'er scale of the 59 sprino'prrsserl disk in which the upper end of the t rsion wire is mounted; Fig. 11 is a perspective detail ot the screw in which t e lower end of the torsion w re is mounted;

H 1 a perspe tive detail of one of the tubes by which the movable coil is mounted on the mam supportmg staff;

Fig. 13 is a transverse section through one of the movable coils, showing its mounting; F1g. let is a perspective view of the removable pen; and Fig. 15 is a perspective detail of the clip by which the pen is supported on the main supporting statt.

The main casing of the meter is divided by a vertical partition 11 into a front eompartment 12 containing the record-malo ing parts and the rear compartment 13 containing the metering parts. The metering parts and the record-making parts are all supported on the partition 11. The rear compartment 13 is closed by a removable hack ll; and the front compartmert 12 is closed by a hinged front cover plate 15 which forms the front. sides, and top ot suth compartment and has winlows 16 oil 1? of glass or other transparent material in front and top.

Fuitably mounted in the front comprtment 12 are a supply roll 22 out a WlDtllTl'}; roll 23 of a recorl sheet 24; which passes over suitable sruides 25 and 2G and a "fee roller 27. so that it has a horizontal por'io i visible hrouojh the top w ndow 17 and on which the record is made by a pen 28. and a vertical portion on wh ch the most to certlv made part of the record is visine tlllfilltlll the Front win'low '16. The pen 28 arr es a pointer 29 which moves ore an indicatio scale 30. th t v sual n'lication of the lUSiZXTItQTIP S con iion b' n'r moasurcd is given. The recorl sheet is driv n in any ru'table manner, as by clockwork, pints-ably inclor'el in a c s n 1 moa t 'l with'n the comoartroe t 12. "11's driving mews o erate" the wiod'n' oll 23 and the tee ollef 27. in an s it ble'manner.

Mountcl Wl l] n he como-i tmert 3 on the part tion 1 s the saionar non-mar there is a liquid-holding cup 40. into which a partition 41 from the frame projects downwardly to form a bat le p ate retardin': the liquid movement therein. Suitably mounted in the lower end of this partition llO 41 is a disk 42 which in turn carries a split screw plug 43 (shown in detail in Fig. 11) for supporting the lower end of the torsion wire 44 on which the movable element of the meter is carried. The upper end of the tor sion wire is correspondingly mounted in a disk 45 (shown in detail in Fig. 10) springpressed upwardly by a spring 46 within a hollow plug 47. This plug 47 has a screwthreaded mounting within one end of an adjusting lever 48 and in a. pair of lock nuts 49, and the adjusting lever 48 rests on a bridge 50 mounted on the upper end of the frame 35. The upper face of the disk 45 and the lower end of the screw plug 43 are recessed to receive a rivet in which the ends of the torsion wire 44 are fastened. This rivet comprises a head 51 and a shank 52, and a eo6perating washer 53 through which the shank 52 projects; so that by riveting the end of the shank 52 the head 51 and washer 53 are clamped together. The under face of the head 51 is provided with a groove 54 around the shank 52, which. groove communicates with two opposite radial. grooves so that the torsion wire may be laid in these grooves either part way or all the way around. the shank This fur nishcs a rigid fastening for the ends of the torsion wire, without affecting the characteristics thereof.

A. similar washer and rivet are provided at an intermediate point in the wire 44, but here the shank is slightly longer and projects through the wall of the main supporting staff 56 which carries the movable element of the meter; so that at this intermediate point the torsion wire 44 is riveted to the staff 56, and when the staff turns about its axis, along; which the torsion wire lies. the parts of the torsion wire above and below this riveted point are twisted or untwisted. This fastening provides a rigid attachment between the intermediate point of the wire and the staff. without affecting the temper of the torsion wire. as would be the case if solder or other heat-requiring fastening were used. 7

The staff 56 a flattened tube. with a longitudinal slot extending its full length. on the opposite wall from that to which the intermediate rivet is fastened. This slot permits the rear. y attachment of this intermediate rivet to the wire and staff. for it wide enough to permit the passage of such rivet. It also permits the torsion wire to be put in place within the staff without the necessity of being threaded all the way through the staff; it is for the same reason that the screw plus: 43 and disk 45 are slotted. The staff 56 is conveniently made from a strip of sheet metal bent into the desired shape. In order to hold the staff 56 in upright position on the wire 44, it is provided, preferably only at the upper end,

with an integral guide finger 57 which is bent down across the end of the staff and is provided 'ith a hole 58 through which the torsion wire 44 extends. This provides a. guiding support for the staff 56 on the wire 44 at a point removed from the point of rigid attachment formed by the intermediate rivet 51. The general idea of mounting the movable element of the meter on the torsion wire by this two point support-mac point of rigid attachment and one guiding pointforms the subject-matter of my c0 iending appli'ation Ser. No. 235574.

A flattened insulating tube 60 (shown. in detail in Fig. 12) forms the direct support for each pair of movable coils 61. In the. meter shown there are two pairs of movable coils 61, each pair acting as a unit and co o'perating with one pair of the stationary coils 36. of which there are also two pairs shown; but the number of sets of cotiperating coils may be anything desired. All the sets act -zisorrespondingly to produce a deflection of the movable element of the meter. Each insulating tube 60 is of such size that it closely over the main supporting staff 56. The edges of the main supporting staff 56 are provided with two sets of notches 62 beneath each insulating tube 60, the insulating tube 60 is clamped to the staff 56 by wire clamping clips 63 which extend around the tube 60 opposite each set of notches 62 to force the insulating material of the tube 60 into such notches. This holds the insulating tube 60 firmly in its proper place on the main supporting staff 56. The wire clips 63 also constitute the terminals of the associated pair of movable coils 61, the free ends oi": the wires of such pair of coils being soldered or otherwise fastened to such clips, and the clips being connected by flat strips 64 to the binding posts 65 mounted in the frame 35. The strips 64 extend from their wire clips to their binding posts in opposite directions around the staff. so as to balance each other in their mechanical effect on the torque of the movable element. The ends of the flattened insulating tube 63 are slit near each edge to provide tongues 66 at both edges at each end. These tongues are bent outward to lie against a portion of the outer face of the associated pair of movable coils 61, and these movable coils are lashed to these tongues by threads 67. This forms a id mounting for the movable coils 61 on the main supporting staff 56. By having the staff 56 and tube 60 flattened. they produce a. minimum displacement of the associated pair of movable coils 61 where they pass beneath such coils.

To the lower end of the main supporting staff 56 is attached a sheet metal clip 70, which has formed on it a paddle 71 dipping into the liquid in the cup 40, so as to provide era a damping device. The flattened character of the main supporting staff 56 facilitates the attachment of this clip 70.

Another sheet metal clip (shown in detail in Fig. 15) is mounted on the upper end of the main supporting staff 56, for carrying the pen 28. This sheet metal clip '75 has two upwardly extending arms '76 in which there are registering slots 77, the plane determined by these slots 77 being displaced forwardly from the, torsion wire a l, as is clear from Fig. 3. The slots 77 receive a knife blade 78 on which is mounted a pen carrier 79. This pen carrier has attached to it at its forward end the pen 28, by a pair of fingers 8O surrounding the tubular body of the pen (as is clear from Fig. 14). To the rear of the knife blade 78, the pen carrier 79 has a curved offset portion 81 where it passes the torsion wire 4-1, so that it will not interfere with such torsion wire; and beyond such offset portion is provided with a rearwardly projecting screw 82 on which is screw mounted a counterweight 83, which may be adjusted to control the vertical position of the marking end of the pen 28 and its downward pressure on the record sheet. The pen unit, comprising the pen 28 proper, the pen carrier 79, and its supporting knife blade 78, may readily be removed, by lifting the knife blade 78 from the slots 77 Such remoral is desirable for convenience and pro tection in shipping and installing the meter, and in filling and cleaning the pen.

In order to adjust the torsion of the torsion wire 44 to bring the pen 28 and the pointer 29 to the proper zero point, the adjusting lever 48 may be operated to vary the circumferential position of the upper end of the torsion wire 44. This is conveniently done by providing the outer end of the adjusting lever with a fork 85, through which an adjusting screw 86 projects. This adjusting s rew is provided with a slotted nut 87 which cooperates with the fork 85, so that when the screw 86 is turned the nut 87 and therefore the outer end of the adjusting lever d8 are moved to vary the circumferential position of the upper end of the torsion wire 4%. Preferably the screw 86 extends through the partition 11, and is provided in the front comparb merit lit with a knurled head 88, whereby it may be operated, the screw being held in proper position with relation to the partition 11 by the head 88 and a pair of lock nuts 89 in the compartment 18.

I claim as my invention:

.l. In a meter, the combination of a torsion wire. a hollow staff along which said wire extends substantially axiallv. said staff being provided with a longitudinal slot so that the torsion wire may be inserted laterally into it, fastening means for attaching within it, and a movable meter element mounted on said staff.

2. In a meter, the combination of a torsion wire, a staff along which said wire extends substantially axially, said staff being provided with a longitudinal slot so that the torsion wire may be inserted laterally into it, a rivet insertible through said slot for rigidly attaching to said staff a point of the torsion Wire within it, and a movable meter element mounted on said staff.

In a meter, the combination of a torsion wire, a sheet metal member bent into the form of a slotted tube along which said torsion Wire extends substantially axially, said slot permitting the lateral insertion of said wire into said tube, and a movable meter element mounted on said tube.

a. In an electric meter, the combination of a torsion wire, a hollow staff along which said wire extends substantially axially, said staff being fastened to said wire within it, and a pair of coils mounted side by side on said staff on opposite sides thereof, said staff being flattened in the plane of said coils so as to produce a minimum displacement of the coils where they pass it,

5. In an electric meter, the combination of a torsion wire, a hollow staff along which said wire extends substantially axially, said staff being fastened to said wire within it, and a pair of coils mounted side by side on said on opposite sides thereof.

6. In a meter, the combination of a sheet metal. member bent into the form of a flattened tube slotted along one flat side, said sheet metal member having at an end an integral guide finger bent across the end and provided with a perforation substantially in line with the axis of the tube, a torsion wire extending through said perforation and through the tube substantially along its axis, and a rivet insertible through said slot and fastening said torsion wire to said tube at apoint removed from said finger.

7. In a meter, the combination of a sheet metal member bent into the form of a tube, said sheet metal member having at an end an integral guide finger bent across the end and provided with a perforation substan tially in line with the axis of the tube, a torsion wire extending through said perfor-ation and through the tube substantially along its axis, and means fastening said torsion vire to said tube at a point removed from said finger.

8. In a meter, the combination of a torsion wire, a staff along which said wire extends substantially axially, said staff and said wire being fastened together at a point within the staff", a tube telescoped over said staff, said staffbeing provided with. notches. a clip around said tube in the plane of said notches to force part of the tube into the notches in the staff to lock the tube and staff together, and a movable meter element mounted on said tube.

9. In an electric meter, the combination of a torsion wire, astaff along which said wire extends substantially axially, said staff and said wire being fastened together at a point within the staff, a tube telescoped over said staff, said tube being of insulating material and said staff being rovided With two notches beneath said tube, two clips around said tube in the planes of said two notches respectively to force parts of the tube into the notches to lock the tube and staff together, and a coil mounted on said tube and having terminals connected to said two clips respectively.

10. In an electric meter, the combination. of a torsion wire, a staff along which said wire extends substantially axially, said staff and said wire being fastened together at apoint within the staff, a tube telescoped over said staff, said staff being provided with notches, a clip around said tube in the plane of said notches to force part of the tube into the notches in the staff to lock the tube and staff together, and a pair of coils mounted side by side on said tube on opposite sides thereof, both staff and tube being flattened in the plane of said coils.

11. In an electric meter, the combination of a torsion. wire, a staff along which said wire extends substantially axially, said staff and said wire being fastened together at a point within the staff, a tube teleseoped over said staff, said tube being of insulating material and said staff being provided with two notches beneath said tube, two clips around said tube in the planes of said two notches respectively to force parts of the tube into the notches to lock the tube and staff together, and a pair of coils mounted side by side on said tube on opposite sides thereof, both staff and tube being flattened in the plane of said coils, and terminals of said coils being connected to said two clips res ect vely.

12. In a meter, the combination of a torsion wire; a slotted staff along which said wire extends substantially axially; a rivet fastening to said staff a point of the wire within the latter, said rivet comprising a shank extending through the staff, a head on said shank, and a washer between which and the head the wire is clamped, said head being an arc-shaped groove around the shank and a pair of opposite radial grooves communicating with the arc-shaped grooves so as to receive the torsion wire; and a movable meter element mounted on said staff.

13. In an electric meter, the combination of a torsion Wire, a staff along which said wire extends substantially axially, said staff and said wire being fastened together at a point within the staff, a tube telescoped over said staff and fastened thereto, and a pair of coils mounted side by side on said tube on opposite sides thereof, said tube being slotted at the ends to provide fingers which are bent outward to engage said coils.

14. In an el ctric meter, the combination of a torsion wire, a staff along which said wire extends substantially axially, said staff and said wire being fastened together at a point within the staff, a tube teles oped over said stafi and fastened thereto, and a pair of coils mounted side by side on said tube on opposite sides thereof, said tube being slotted at the ends to provide fingers which are bent outward to engage said coils, said staff and tube being flattened in the plane of said coils, and said fingers being bent outward substantially in the plane of the coils.

15. In a meter, a torsion wire; a movable meter element mounted thereon; a rivet attached to an end of said torsion wire, said rivet comprising a head. a shank, and a washer held against the head by the riveting of said shank, and one of the faces between said head and washer being provided with a circular groove around raid shank and a radial groove communicating with said circular groove to re'eive the torsion wire: and a supporting member against which said rivet bea s.

16. In a meter. a torsion wire. a movable meter element mounted on said torsion wire, head members on the ends of said torsion wire, abutments against which s id head members bear. and a hollow plug in which one of said abutments is springmounted so as to put tension on said tosion wire. aid hollow plug being circumferentially adjustable.

17. In a meter. torsion wi e, a movable meter element mounted on said tor ion wire. head members on the ends of said torsion wire, abutments against which said he d member bear. a hollow screw plug in whi h one of said abutments is spring-mounted so as to put tension on said torsion wi e. adjusting nuts for adiusting said screw plug longitudinally. and means for adjusting said screw plug circumferentially.

18. In a meter. the combination of a sheet metal member bent into the form of a tube slotted along one side, said sheet metal member having at an end an integral guide finger bent across the end and provided with a perforation substantially in line with the axis of the tube. a torsion wire ext nding tl'irough said perforation and th ough the tube rub stantially along its axis, and a rivet insertible through said slot and fastening said torsion wire to said tube at a point removed from said finger.

19. In an electric meter, the combination of a torsion wire, a staff along which said Wire extends substantially axially, said stafi and said wire being fastened together at a point Wl thin the stall, a tube telcscoped over said stall, said tube being of insulating material and said statl being provided with a notch beneath said tube, a clip around said tube in the plane of said notch to force part of the tube into the notch to lock the tube and staff together, and a coil mounted on said tube and having a terminal connected to said clip.

20. In an electric meter, the combination of a torsion Wire, a staff along which said Wire extends substantially axially, said staii and said Wire being fastened together at a point Within the staff, a tube telescoped over said stall, said tube being of insulating material and said staff being provided With a notch beneath said tube, a clip around said tube in the plane of said notch to force part of the tube into the notch to lock the tube and statl together, and a pair of coils mounted side by side on said tube on opposite sides thereof, both said staff and tube being flattened in the plane of said coils, and a terminal of said coils being connected to said clip.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 15th day of May, A. 1). one thousand nine hundred and eighteen.

DONALD JAMES ANGUS.

Witnesses:

R. E. KENNEDY, E. P. HIXSON. 

